How To Critique And Write

Have a question? Agree, disagree, with me?
Leave me your opinion.

Non-fiction and fiction demands to be
critiqued. Of course, this eliminates
those who get it perfect on draft one.
Some never have the task of critiquing
their work, for the sixth time.

Most of us must strengthen our editing
abilities.

"How do you edit?" You coughed.

Read through your article, essay, poem,
chapter, or term paper once. Put it down.

Take a walk. Read the book you meant
to last year. Clean off your desk, start
an exercise program, or telephone someone
you've wanted to.

On day two, read it out-loud. You're
checking for mis-statements, typos,
omissions, syntax errors, grammatical
slip-ups, and weak writing. Is the
correct phrases situated in your
writing? Take notice of run-on
sentences. Form every sentence according
to standard English.

Reading out-loud allows you to hear words.
Say them slowly. Did the sentence(s)
sound right? If not, find out why.
Determine if the subject and verb match.

"I stand to get a better look at who
screamed, but it was a prank."

In order for the subject and verb to
agree, stand should be changed to stood.

Are there too many adjectives? Use strong
verbs where possible. Did you use the
wrong word?

"What do you mean?" You sighed.

I'm referring to typing a word you didn't
have in mind. You typed bear instead of
bare, for example. It isn't hard to tap
out hear when here is the intended word.

Walk through the editing process slowly.
It's better to do a good job when you
critique than get a rejection.

Write as if you're talking to an
acquaintance, friend, in non-fiction.
Provide easy to understand wording,
and be direct.

When non-fiction or fiction is read,
questions arise. So, look for
possible questions as you critique.
Anticipate questions, and answer them.

Fiction yearns for an exciting plot.
Plot is the steps taken to solve a
story's problem.

Characters grab, hold, the reader's
attention. Often, readers escape
into the story world, because it's
written well. Many times, people
identify with a character, dislike,
a character's best friend, know a
person similar to the villain, and/or
something in the story makes him/her
angry, happy.

The critiquing of any piece of writing
is complete when every word has been
checked.

The editing process is more challenging
than the writing.

Spend time on dialogue. It mirrors
speech. It's an imitation.

Let's look at examples.

How many people say?

"Who is going with us?"

They'd probably utter.

"Whose goin' with?"
or
"Whose goin' with us?"

What is most likely to be said?

"I have been around."
or
"I've been 'round."

I'd use the second sentence.

There are books on writing
dialogue, but I learned, more,
by listening to people talk.

Editing is a segment, part, of
writing. The act of editing
will make you better at the craft.